


Becoming Jonah

by Do_I_Exist_13



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Elias Bouchard Slowly Gets Depression, Encountering an Eye-Alligned Leitner as an avatar of the eye, Eventual Imposter Syndrome, It’s Not Paranoia If They Really Are Out To Get You, M/M, Mind Meld, Monster Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, No beta we die like archival assistants, Not A Fix-It, Personality Drift, Personality Swap, Resentment, Set in Series 2/ Season 2 onward, Unhealthy Workplace Environments, eventually that is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:34:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27092893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Do_I_Exist_13/pseuds/Do_I_Exist_13
Summary: Jon gets separated from Tim instead of Martin during Prentiss’ attack. He finds Gertrude’s body and listens to a tape containing a rather tense conversation between The Head Of The Institute, his boss, Elias Bouchard and the previous Archivist, Gertrude Robinson.Jon acts on his suspicion, leading to him stalking Elias.TEMPORARY HIATUS
Relationships: Elias Bouchard | Jonah Magnus/Peter Lukas
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	1. Do It Until You Don’t Recognize The Face In The Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Bad vibes... and pastel green Leitners...

There is something under the institute. He does not believe the thing under the insitute killed Gertrude, no, whoever killed her is most likely above ground in the insitute itself. And after hearing that tape, he thinks he knows just who did it.

...

Elias knew Jon was stalking him. He didn’t have to look out one of the copious windows in his house to See Jon photographing his house. It didn’t bother Elias too much, knowing that Jon would surely leave soon.

After five long hours Jon was still waiting outside of his house.

Elias gaped in silence at the paranoid determination proudly on display. What was he waiting for? Surely he wasn’t planning on staying all night...

At 1:34am Jon took out a granola bar and water. He can’t be serious. Elias drifted off to bed in hopes that when he awoke Jon would no longer be vigilantly stalking his house.

At 6:25 Jon sent Elias a text that simply read ‘Sick today. Can’t come to work.’ The subtle degradation of Jon’s normally eloquent speech had not gone unnoticed. 

Elias used his many eyes to steal a peek at Jon, who was currently ordering a truly impressive amount of coffee from the closest place to Elias’ house. The coffee shop in question doubled as a bookstore. How quaint. 

As Elias walked down the sidewalk to the shop he wondered, would Jon see it as suspicious if Elias happened to need coffee too?

As he approached ‘Hole In The Wall Books And Coffee’ Elias could See Jon looking furiously through his phone, studying the dozens of pictures he’d taken of his house last night. Elias frowned before stepping into the cozy shop.

Jon looked quite dishelved, his wavy black hair had clearly not been combed in days and his dark eyes were bloodshot and he was wearing the same all black attire he’d worn to watch Elias’ house.

Elias orders a single black coffee and sits across from Jon. His eyes widen in fear and shock as he srambles upright to face Elias.

“Hello Jon,” He states in a cold, professional tone. Jon looks absolutely panicked, for one millisecond Elias was sure the man would jump out the wide glass window to his right. Instead Jon clears his throat and glares daggers at him.

“Hello, Elias,” His name is laced with an acute suspicion that makes him wonder if Jon knows more than he should. A tense silence is shared before Elias speaks up again.

“I thought you were sick,” He says while slowly and gracefully stirring his coffee.

“I am,” Jon snaps. Elias raises a perfectly maintained eyebrow at him.

“You should get some rest,” He takes a painfully long sip of coffee while keeping his gaze locked on Jon. 

“You look awful.”

Jon doesn’t reply and they sit together in an uneasy staring contest. Occaisonally, Elias would take a slow sip of coffee, and after almost thirty minutes of this strange ritual he downs the whole cup.

“It’s been nice talking to you, I do hope you feel better tomorrow,” Elias walks into the book section of the coffee shop. Jon eyes him as he grabs a thin, green book from the far right shelf.

Elias skims through the book at a painfully slow speed, reading through almost the entire book. Jon watches him like his life depends on it. In Jon’s mind it probably does. He puts the book down haphazardly and smiles to himself as Jon cranes his neck to see if Elias is gone yet.

When he does leave Jon descends on the harmless green book like a hound. Elias laughs to himself in amusement.

...

After Basira Hussain gives her Statement Jon tells her he knows who’s behind the murder of Gertrude Robinson.

“It was Elias, I- I found her body in the tunnels. There was a tape, Gertrude was talking to Elias, she was tense,” Jon accuses. Basira doesn’t look convinced.

“That’s all?” She asks. Jon gives her a confused look, like he doesn’t get that two people having a tense conversation isn’t grounds for a murder charge. 

“Wh-? No, you didn’t listen to the tape, just. Find it. You’ll see what I mean,” A single rich brown liquid gathers in Jon’s right eye, seeming to drain some his dark brown eye color and replaces it with an almost imperceptible icy blue ring. 

Basira opens her mouth to speak, about to inform this strange man about his strange eye. But something stops her and the words die unspoken on her lips. 

She settles on a neutral agreement instead, “I’ll... I’ll look out for it.” His eyes light up and he nods thankfully.

“Thank you, Detective,” He says enthusiastically. Basira hums in a mock thoughtfulness and leaves quickly.

...

Elias said he was vistiting the Archives today, Jon bought a pocketknife (just in case). 5:34 rolled around and still no sign of Elias, was he waiting for Jon’s assistants to leave?

Another fifteen long minutes passed and Jon’s anxiousness grew, he would not end up like Gertrude. He would not lie dead on the basement floor of the Archives. Jon picked a tape out of the dozens in his desk and hit record.

“Elias was supposed to meet with me today, he didn’t give a time. My assistants have left, and I can’t think of any good reason for him to wait this long unless he plans to do something unsavory to me,” Jon rings his hands nervously before continuing.

“If I dissapear and someone finds this tape, know that it was Elias. He killed Gertrude and- and no one believes me!” A sharp knock comes from the large oak door to the Archives.

“Come in!” Jon hides the recorder under his desk. The figure of Elias Bouchard slinks it’s way into the Archives like a smug snake.

“Hello Jon, how are you?” He says in a tone too nuetral to be anything but manufactured. Jon grips his pocketknife cautiously.

“I’m doing fine,” Jon replies in a tense tone. Elias stares at him with his impossibly cold eyes. He feels pinned under the sheer weight of his gaze, Jon clenches his fist to make sure that he can still move.

“Why did you come here?” Jon snaps.

“Martin saw pictures of my house on your phone.” Elias drawls. Jon’s blood runs cold. He’s going to die. He’s going to die because of fucking Martin...

“I- I don’t know what you mean,” Jon stutters out. Elias gives him an unimpressed look.

“I’d hate to have to let you go, especially since you were doing so well.” Jon almost laughs, fire him? Fire him?

“If you were going to fire me you would’ve done it by now. I’m not going to stop until I figure out what’s going on here and why you killed Gertrude,” Elias sighs sadly, acting like he pities poor, crazy Jon.

“I’ve no idea where you got this ridiculous idea that I killed her, but this must stop. I value my privacy and this is the last warning,” Jon puts his palms to his desk and stands up to face Elias.

“Last warning? Last warning?” Jon laughs somewhat hysterically. “You’re not going to do anything,” He says knowingly.

“You’re not invincible Jonathan,” Elias reminds him in a low tone before turning tail and slinking back into the main hall.

-

Elias retreats back to his office and sits down in his embroidered red and gold chair. He sighs angrily at his Archivist’s nerve. A bright blue liquid gatherers in his left eye, it rolls slowly down his cheek. 

A tear? He wonders before wiping it away, reasoning he must’ve gotten something in his eye.

...

Jon’s behevior was beginning to drive Elias crazy. Almost every other night he’d be waiting outside Elias’ house documenting and recording his home. Night after night he’d sit at the same spot, learning nothing new. 

Elias couldn’t imagine this nightly stalking feeding the Eye too much, save for the first couple of nights. Was he hoping to see Elias leave and do something conspicuous? Was he waiting for the perfect moment to break in?

Oh... dear Eye, he wasn’t planning a break in was he? Surely he wasn’t that stupid!

He nervously tosses around in his California King size bed, wishing that Peter was there with him. He’d planned on going to his mansion tonight, but because of Jon’s infuriatingly correct paranoia he’s been effectively grounded. 

Meaning he’ll have to find more homey pleasures to keep himself sane. Elias creeps out of bed and onto his truly gargantuan spiral staircase, traveling down to his massive kitchen and into his eaqully gratuitously large cellar. 

Which would’ve normally been reserved for special occasions but tonight Elias would not stand for cheap peasant booze. Tonight Elias wanted to feel like Queen Mary herself.

Elias cradled the two thousand dollar wine in his arms like it was a child, bringing it up into his kitchen with a care he’d never shown another person. He sits down with a lavish grace at his disgustingly expensive and grotesquely large table.

He takes his pastel green phone and a corkscrew out from his bathrobe.

Elias scrolls through his contacts, Peter From Accounting, Peter (Web Avatar), Peter Usher Foundation, oh yes Peter Lukas...

It took two rings for him to answer, which was most likely due to Peter having to pretend like he didn’t have a social life.

“Elias! I’m at meeting with the Fairchild’s!” Peter hisses indignantly.

“Oh please Peter, you and I both know Harriet and Simon won’t mind,” Elias reminds him in a honey-sweet tone. Peter grumbles incoherently under his breath.

“Fine. Why’d you call me? Aren’t you supposed to be getting your beauty sleep?” Peter mocks.

“I would, but one of my employees has taken to stalking me,” He said while shuffling in his silk bathrobe.

“And what do you want me to do about it?” Elias can See Peter crossing his arms in annoyance.

“I want you to keep me company while I endure this unfair torment,” He pouts.

“You do realize who you’re talking to.”

“... Yes...” Elias confirms. Peter hangs up and throws his phone into the Lonely. An ice blue liquid pooled in Elias’ left eye, leaving a thin (but growing) dark brown ring around his iris.

Elias sighed and poured a large glass of wine, trying to ignore the menace outside his house and ultimately failing. 

It’s 3:56am when Elias does fall asleep. He would go to a Sephora the next day and buy a slightly mismatched concealer to cover up his eye bags.

...

Time passes and Helen Rischardson gives her statement, Jordan Kennedy gives his, Jon reads Trevor Herbert’s Statement and tells Martin that he doesn’t need his lies too.

The CCTV footage of his colleagues is released to him and two facts strike Jon as very important. There are no cameras in Elias’ office, and the only way anyone or thing could’ve killed Gertrude is through the tunnels.

He wonders if Elias knew about the tunnels and neglected to tell them. Or...

Maybe Elias... What if he didn’t kill her? No, that thought is ridiculous. It was him, he just knows it was. All Jon has to do is find the tape to prove it. He just... doesn’t know where to look.

(yet)

...

The stapler has been lost, Tim opens the large oaken door to the Archives to ask Jon if he remembers where it is.

“Hey where did you put the-?” Tim sees the hunched figure of Jon looming over a laptop that he can only hope was not stolen from Elias. He’s rambling into one of those damn tape recorders, probably talking about his latest stalking ecaspade.

“Oh, sorry to disturb you while you were being suspicious,” Tim snipes.

“It’s quite alright,” Jon says in a concerned tone, seemingly astonished by the prospect of Tim being mad at him.

“No, no, I’ll catch you when you’re not scheming.”

“What?”Jon stands up and walks to the front of his desk in a manner that puts Tim uncharacteristically on edge. It’s just Jon, he says to himself.

“Nothing...” Jon cocks one eyebrow in a delicate motion Tim has never seen him use.

“No, tell me. I can handle some employee criticism,” Tim had heard Jon use this patronizing tone many times before but never directed towards him, and never quite like this.

“I said-” He is riled up, fed up and burned out by his stalker boss. 

“There’s no need for the tone, I’m not after you,” Jon interrupts harshly.

“Oh? You’re not ‘after me’? Well that just makes me feel so much better,” He snarles.

“You have spent months stalking and staring and creeping around Elias like he’s a murderer! All because of what? ‘A “tense” conversation between Gertrude and Elias!?’”

“You didn’t listen to th-” Tim cuts Jon off before he has the chance to defend his lunacy.

“What if it’d been me? What if I was talking to Gertrude and she decided she didn’t like me? What if she recorded the conversation like a fucking creep and years later some pompous idiot found it? Would I have suddenly been the “Bad Guy?””

“No. Because you didn’t do it. And I know Elias did,” Tim could not believe his ears. Did Jon own an ounce of self awareness?

“How do you know? How can you act like you’re so sure!? I know you don’t have shit for proof and so do you!”

“No, maybe not right now, but he’s hiding something, you have to see that! It seems a little too convenient doesn’t it?” Tim shakes his head unbelievingly.

“What the actual fuck do you mean?” Tim had never imagined that the well-meaning prick he’d met in research would turn out to be an unstable, paranoid, stalker. 

“I mean, the CCTV is so corrupted that the police can’t just use it immediately, and then they happen to finish restoring it just when I start really digging into the murder? And if it was an option, why not clean it up when she first disappeared? And don’t get me started on the lack of cameras in the Archives and Elias’ office.  
I know his whole spiel about signal degradation and installation issues, but I don’t buy it. I mean, he got the CO2 system put in easily enough-”

“Shut up.” He’s heard more than enough.

“What-?” Jon asks. Tim balls his fists.

“Just stop talking. I’m sick of this and I’m sick of you. Elias didn’t fucking kill Gertrude, and no one wants to kill you.”

“You can’t know that!”

“And you can? Fuck you, I’m- I’m not going to watch you realize Elias didn’t do it. I’m not going to watch you go after Martin, or Sasha, or me next! I can’t do this anymore.”

“Then quit. Leave your position at the Archives, permanently,” Jon says. Tim stares at him in disbelief.

“...Are you firing me?” Tim questions with an emphasis on the ‘you’ and ‘me’. Jon shakes his head.

“No, I’m offering you a chance to quit. No notice period, I’ll even make sure you get this month’s paycheck.”

“... I... I want to.” Tim grit his teeth, trying to force the words out of his mouth. An invisible force clogs his throat and prevents the words from becoming reality. Jon stares at him expectantly and coldly.

“Then do it.” Jon says in a daring tone. He growls and tries again, but again, something stops him. It feels like towels being stuffed down your throat, or having your voice box violently ripped from your neck. Tim growls.

“I just can’t. Why can’t I do it? Why can’t I quit?” Tim asks desperately. Jon chuckles softly and Tim gives him a murderous glare.

“I can’t fire you either.” 

“What?”

“It’s this place.” Jon says in a tone that almost sounds fond. 

“I don’t understand...”

“Neither do I... It’s on the tip of my toungue, like I should know what’s happening. I-I’ve got the shape of it but... I’m sorry Tim.   
I cannot and will not stop until I find out what’s happening here. This place isn’t right, Elias isn’t right. I hope you can see that now. I don’t know how or why but there’s something very wrong with the Archives. And I know Elias is behind it somehow.”

“So, what do we do about it?” Says Tim, looking for direction, any kind of direction.

“For now? I suppose.... we just do our jobs.” Jon says lamely. Tim stares at the floor resentfully.

“I don’t want to,” He slumps his shoulders, suddenly feeling very tired.

“No? No,” Jon’s voice is well below a whisper, the only reason Tim hears him at all is because of the dead silence around them.

“I- uh- I suppose I’ll see you later.” With nothing left to say, Tim dissapears behind the large wooden door to the Archives, leaving Jon alone in the dimly lit recording room.

A liquid Jon assumes is a tear rolls down his right cheek. He wipes it away, thinking that maybe he should’ve been nicer to Tim. They’re not enemies.


	2. Things Get Better Before They Get Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exactly what is says on the tin boys.

When Jon does finally look at Gertrude’s laptop he discovers lots of alarming things. Petrol, pesticide, lighter fluid and even high-powered torches. Which are notable because Gertrude did not smoke, drive, or work in pest control.

The torches would make sense if it weren’t for the quantity in which she ordered them. She also ordered a truly impressive amount of filing tabs, which were hardly worth noting compared to the most alarming of her purchases.

Leitners. Gertrude Robinson was buying Leitners. It feels like the first truly new discovery he’s made while looking at her computer, though he’s not entirely sure why. Jon hopes she destroyed them but knows he isn’t that lucky.

He’s had a creeping suspicion that Gertrude was dangerous for months, it’s just so much more real now. Maybe he’s been focusing too much on the ‘murder’ part of murdering Gertrude, maybe he should be paying more attention to the Gertrude part.

Who was Gertrude Robinson, and why did Elias kill her.

...

It was becoming increasingly clear that Jon would have to talk to Elias if he wanted to get into the tunnels. He was running out of leads and Elias wouldn’t do anything suspicious while he knew Jon was watching his house.

But he couldn’t bear to stand still any longer, Jon didn’t feel like he was going anywhere anymore. So as much as Jon may loathe Elias, he needs to talk to him.

...

A tape clicks on in the Archivist’s office. The conversation recorded goes like this;

“-Jon, there’s nothing down there,” Elias states evenly. There’s a glint in his eyes that Jon doesn’t trust, it tells Jon that he knows there’s something in the tunnels.

“Oh I think we both know that’s a lie,” Jon growls. Elias sighs passively.

“I only know what you told me,” he pulls up a chair to Jon’s desk and sits, “And you told me that you wandered around in the dark for hours after suffering an incredibly traumatic experience.”

“So you think I imagined it?” Jon snaps with great contempt lacing his voice. Elias gives him a pitying look and he almost lunges at the smug bastard.

“It’s a possibility, the other possibility is that there is something dangerous in the tunnels. Neither makes me particularly inclined to unlock the door.”

“So you’re going to just let a monster roam under our feet,” Jon says, trying not to sound too unsurprised.

“...Yes.”

“If you won’t give me the key, then you’ll have to find another Archivist.” It’s an empty threat, Jon knows it is. But if Elias is truly innocent, then he shouldn’t know.

“Good Lord, don’t be so dramatic,” Elias scolds. Jon scoffs. “You don’t know how difficult it would be to replace you.”

Jon is momentarily taken aback by Elias’ compliment. The surprise wears out quickly and Jon is left with vaugue suspicions and unvoiced accusations.

“Thank-” No, he must be trying to put Jon at ease, he won’t fall for it, “I’m sure it’d be easier than finding a replacement for Gertrude.”

“In the contrary, it’d be much harder to find someone to take over for you.” A contemplative look crosses Elias’ face.

“Hm, we’ve gotten a bit off track, haven’t we? I’ll have a copy made for you on one condition: be careful. No more impetuous subterranean adventures. Understand?”

“No, of course.” _You wouldn’t want something else to have the joy of killing me._

“And for God’s sake Jon get some sleep.”

Elias leaves and Jon is left alone in his office sitting in front of a pile of statements. Jon sighs and holds his head in his hands. He wasn’t going to get to them today, it was daunting sometimes, how slowly he burned through the statements and the sheer number of them left.

It felt like trying to drink an ocean through a straw. There was so much happening in the Archives that Jon didn’t know, that he didn’t understand.

He wondered if Gertrude knew she was going to die. If she knew and didn’t leave a tape for him, didn’t warn him. Or maybe she did and her murderer hid it, just like he hid her other tapes.

The feeling of Eyes on Jon’s back grows extra strong, overpowering like a series of punches. Jon reels his chair to face the wall behind him, where the feeling oozes. But there’s just a dark patch of brick wall.

A tear wells up in Jon’s eye as he wheels back around, maybe the stress has finally gotten to him. He wipes the tear away slowly and deliberately. Jon goes back to his all important archiving work with a faint frown.

...

When Not-Sasha finds the Archivist on one of its excursions out into the tunnels she fightens him, he screams, “Sasha! Christ, I thought you were- it doesn’t matter. Why are you down here?” The Archivist‘s breathing was through the roof. Not-Sasha, stares uneasily at him.

A pale blue ring could be seen where his right eye should‘ve been. It shone, seemingly undisrupted by the nigh-impenetrable dark of the tunnels. The Archivist must‘ve been Becoming much faster than it’d anticipated.

“I forgot my coat and saw the trap door was open. I came down here to see if you were alright,” It replies in an even tone. The Archivist stares at it for a long moment, as if he was trying to peice Not-Sasha together with its undeveloped Eyes.

“I think we start heading back now,” It says, hoping to break The Archivist’s blank silence. For one moment the Not-Them doesn’t feel like the only ‘it’ in the tunnels.

“Yes, I- I think that’s wise,” He says. Jon carefully takes his place behind Not-Sasha, his eyes burn her with the sheer intensity the entire way back.

...

Martin made his uneasy trek to Jon’s office with a cup of tea in hand. He opened the door and stepped into the cold, stagnant air of the Recording Room.

“Here you go. Have you seen Sasha in today?” He sets Jon’s tea down carefully on his desk.

“Oh.” Jon scrunches his face up in suspicion. “She’s got the day off. Said she was spending time with that Tom of hers,” He says as if the very existence of Tom is in question. Martin can’t bring himself to entirely disagree.

“Anything nice?” Martin asks.

“Didn’t say,” Jon answers with a small shrug.

“Have you ever actually met him?” He questions. Jon’s expression goes blank for a second, his eyes unfocus and it feels like Jon isn’t there at all. As if his deep brown eyes are looking somewhere else entirely. It’s gone a moment later and Jon clutches his head in pain.

“Jon? A-are you alright?” Martin gently reaches out to him. Jon snaps up like a rubber band being shot out from someone’s hand.

“I’m fine.” Jon glares at him with a half-assed annoyance. Martin notices a thin pale blue ring around his right eye and opens his mouth to speak.

“I- uh, there’s something up with your...” Martin gestures vaguely to his own right eye. Jon gives him a deep scowl and Martin averts his eyes. A few silent moments pass and surprisingly it’s Jon who speaks up.

“No- I haven’t met Sasha’s boyfriend. But that’s not exactly surprising, we don’t exactly hold socials. Have you met him?” His tone is apologetic, as if by answering Martin’s question he can say ‘sorry for snapping at you’.

“No, but she’s pretty private with that stuff. Not like Tim,” Martin adds. Jon visibly darkens at the mention of Tim’s name.

“Hmm.” Jon crosses his arms.

“Just talk to him, please.” Martin puts his straightened hands together in a prayer-like motion, emphasizing the pleading part of him statement.

Jon frowns at the floor.

“I don’t get why he’s angry at me.” Martin’s mouth hangs open slightly. Jon didn’t shoo him away, and he actually said something... Martin blinks twice, believing he must’ve misheard him.

“Sorry, um can you repeat that?” He says slowly. Jon huffs in annoyance and sits up straight in his seat.

 _“I said,_ I don’t get why he’s angry at me,” He hisses, though thankfully his anger isn’t directed towards Martin. Jon’s arms are crossed and his fists are clenched, he seems genuinely upset.

“You should talk to him. Um, you should talk to all of us really. I don’t think you care, but I think maybe it could help if we all just talked,” Martin shyly suggests. He fully expects for Jon to snarl something out about how he doesn’t need his pity, or just shoo him away.

“Maybe you’re right... I’ve been treating you all unfairly- like you’re the ones who killed Gertrude.” His words sound very strained and he imagines it must be hard for Jon to admit he was wrong at all.

“Do you want me to get Tim?” Martin asks. Jon sighs and rubs his temples.

“Tomorrow maybe? Don’t get Sasha though, there’s something... she’s been acting rather alarming,” Alarming? Sure, he hadn’t heard about her new boyfriend but that was about the most alarming thing about her. He gives Jon a worried look and hopes Sasha wasn’t becoming Jon’s next Elias.

Martin sighs and leaves out the Archive’s heavy door.

**Author's Note:**

> Poor Tim. Jon is trying but he’s still a twat and sadly that’s not going to get better.


End file.
